Indeed, for Susko, it was a moment to remember. Not only did the poised sophomore deliver the game-winning slam. She had two other hits in the game and also shined on the mound - holding the hard-hitting Zephyrettes to just seven hits in picking up the victory.

"I wanted to beat Whitehall more than anything else this year, it was my top goal coming into the season," said Susko, whose team moved its record to an outstanding 8-1, 4-1 in the highly-competitive East Penn Conference. "We lost a couple of very close games to Whitehall last year and beating them was my ultimate goal. This is just a great feeling."

If the feeling was great for Susko, it must have been fantastic for Konkrete Kid Coach Jim Kinter, who had never beaten the Zephyrettes in his six years at the Northampton helm.

The way yesterday's contest started out, it looked as if the Whitehall jinx would continue for Kinter.

The Zephyrettes, 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the league, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second on Sue Fritsch's home run down the line in left. It stayed that way through four innings as both Whitehall pitcher Gina Lindenmuth and Susko stayed in control.

Then in the fifth, Northampton tied the game when Susko delivered a one- out single to center and came around to score on Alissa Kulchinsky's long triple to rightcenter. But the game didn't stay knotted for long as Whitehall went ahead 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth on Dana Piescienski's two-run single up the middle.

Perhaps a year or two ago, the Konkrete Kids would've started to pack up their gear and chalk up another loss after Whitehall went back in front. Not this year.

Sharon Bickle got the top of the sixth and winning rally started with a walk. Lori Biechy then reached on an error and both runners moved up on a passed ball. One out later, Ann Reimer laid down a bunt single with the runners holding.

Lindenmuth, one of the top pitchers in the league, appeared to be on her way to escaping the jam when she got Jill Kinter on a flyout to left for the inning's second out. But then came Susko, the No. 9 hitter in the Northampton order, to the plate.

"I was just trying to relax and was just hoping to put my bat on the ball to maybe get another single," said Susko. "I would have been satisfied with another single. But when I made contact, I knew it was a pretty good hit. I just kept running and when I knew I had a chance for a home run, I picked it up a little faster."

After Susko raced home to put the Kids up by two, she went to work on the mound. She shutdown the Zephyrettes in order in both the sixth and seventh innings - getting some fine defensive support from shortstop Mary O'Brien, third baseman Beth Eckhart, centerfielder Roseanna Neupauer and catcher Biechy. Then the celebration began.

"These kids have proven that they have the ability to come back," said Kinter, whose team remained tied for first place along with Bethlehem Catholic in the EPC's Division 1. "On Wednesday, we fell behind to Becahi 6-0, but came back to make it 6-4. We just fell behind by a little too much. But that's our only loss so far.

"The kids have done everything I expected of them so far. I feel now that we can play with anyone in this league. But there's a long way to go and the league is just so tough that you never know what's going to happen. But for right now, we're very pleased."

Whitehall, Division 1 champs the last four seasons, got two hits apiece from Chris Churetta and Jen Swantek.